What Should I Choose?
Life is filled with decisions. We have to make little decisions about what we’re going to wear and what we’re going to eat. And we have to make big decisions, about where we’re going to live and who we’re going to marry. And for these decisions, especially for the decisions that seem bigger, we can sometimes have a hard time figuring out what to do. We want to make the decision that’s right. We want to make the decision that will result in the best possible outcome. We want to do the will of God.
For many Christians, there can be an underlying fear that arises when a big decision needs to be made. What if I choose the wrong thing? What if it destroys my life? It’s a very common trend for young people to spend a good deal of time and energy trying to discern what God’s will is for their life.
So what is it? What is God’s will for your life?
Your Will Be Done
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray, “Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). You’ll notice, here, that Jesus is speaking about the will of God, encouraging us to pray that “God’s will would be done.” Initially, it might seem like those words “your will be done” is a prayer that God would carry out his hidden, mysterious plan. (Because that’s often how we think about the will of God – as something hidden that we need to discover or listen for).
But notice that Jesus is encouraging us to pray that God’s will would be done “on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus is indicating that the will of God is being executed in heaven, in a way that it isn’t being carried out on earth. So God’s “will” here can’t refer to His hidden, mysterious plan – because in that sense the will of God is already being carried out perfectly in heaven and on earth. The will of God that Jesus is talking about here – the will of God that He wants us to be seeking and praying for – it isn’t something hidden and mysterious. Jesus is speaking about God’s commands. It sounds less poetic, but Jesus is functionally saying, “Your kingdom come, your commands be obeyed, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Doing the Will of God
Though the Bible does sometimes speak about God’s hidden plans and mysterious purposes, He gives us no instructions for trying to uncover those hidden plans. There are no lessons on deciphering omens. He gives us no encouragements to go looking for new messages from the Holy Spirit. In fact, the Bible quite plainly emphasizes that the Word God has revealed is sufficient for living a godly life (2 Timothy 3:14-17).
It seems to me that in the Church today, it can be tempting to spend too much time speculating about mysteries of God that He hasn’t revealed, instead of specializing in the mandates of God that he has revealed. Many people assume that the defining mark of true Christian spirituality is mysticism or meditation. But Scripture instead reveals that the Spirit-filled life is marked by submission to God’s commands: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). If we’re truly concerned about living according to God’s will, our primary attention should be given to joyful obedience to what God has said.
Relying on the Revealed Will of God
Certainly there are some decisions which are complicated, and it’s hard to sort through options. We can of course bring these decisions to God, and pray for wisdom and insight. But if God hasn’t revealed in His Word the specifics of what university you’re supposed to attend, or what job you’re supposed to take (which he hasn’t), then there’s freedom for you to make a God-honoring decision by faith, in accordance with his commands. There is no “hidden will” to uncover, or secret code you need to break. Instead, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29).
In no way do I want to discourage you from relying on God as you make decisions. We should of course bathe our big decisions in prayer. It’s fully appropriate to seek His wisdom and to observe what opportunities He opens and closes. But God hasn’t commanded you to break the riddle of his mysterious plans. The blessedness of your future doesn’t rest on your ability to interpret heavenly signs and dreams. Instead, you can rest assured that your blessedness rests on the finished work of Jesus, who perfectly performed the will of God in order to save sinners, like you and me, who have fallen short.
So rest in Christ, knowing that those who trust in Him have a future that is perfect and secure. And devote yourself to knowing the will of God that’s revealed in the Bible. And in this way may God’s kingdom come, and His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
